If you wish to incorporate the µdrink protocol into one of your talks, you are free to do so. You can make use of any of the logos and animations on these pages, and there is also this helpful animated GIF that incorporates the entire µdrink process into a single image. We would ask that, in accordance with CopyLeft, any subsequent works created using this material must also include the freedom for others to create and distribute derivative works and that citation of the original source material be maintained.

The µdrink protocol has a number of benefits that are useful to the community...

  1. Drinking is awesome, this protocol encourages it for all parties present.
     
  2. Far too often people drink nameless, convenient beverages. Whatever beer is on tap or whatever typical cocktail is popular at a given time. The µdrink protocol encourages persons to develop a taste for something unique and special to them and it fosters an air of sharing... both of knowledge and of resources.
     
  3. Persons attending a talk with the µdrink protocol enabled learn both the details of and potentially can sample the taste of a new cocktail or beverage.
     
  4. The µdrink protocol is an effective way of chastising speakers for being ill-prepared, but one in which punishments are jovial and community-oriented... all in good fun.
     
  5. By rewarding the most enthusiastic audience members with a drink, it draws them away from the microphone and discourages them from monopolizing the post-talk discussion.
     
  6. Have we mentioned that drinking is awesome?

 

Some persons may be wondering about the pronunciation of the name "µdrink" and i would seek to clarify matters somewhat if i can. The proper syntax of this name is the English word "drink" in lower-case concatenated with a leading "Mu" character from the Greek alphabet, similarly in lower-case.

The Greek character (in both the ancient and modern forms of the language) is pronounced /mi/ and as such would make the protocol's name something close to "me drink." Of course, contrary to that is the tendency of modern speakers of English to pronounce the Mu character with a long-vowel "u" sound, as with the popular BitTorrent client µTorrent. This would make the protocol's name something akin to "you drink." It is this latter form that i most typically use. There are even some individuals who might recognize the leading character as a "Mu" but mistakenly pronounce it as both an consonant "m" and a vowel "u" sound... perhaps that would make the protocol's name seem to indicate a person who is carefully considering the matter before ultimately issuing a directive, "mmmm.... you drink." Someone on the DEFCON forums even postulated that science geeks might look at it and think "micro drink" to themselves. Heh... whatever size glass you choose is just fine! :-D

All in all, i would support each pronunciation as long as the protocol itself is always used in an atmosphere of supportive camaraderie, inquisitive learning, and healthy debauchery. The orthography, however, is always to be in complete lower-case. Enjoy!

- deviant